English

Pronunciation

Noun

Translations

A theorbo (from Italian
tiorba, also tuorbe in French,
Theorbe in German)
is a plucked string instrument. As a name, theorbo signifies a
number of long-necked lutes
with second peg-boxes, such as the liuto
attiorbato, the French théorbe des pièces, the English theorbo,
the archlute, the
German baroque lute, the
angelique' or
'angelica. The etymology of the name tiorba has not yet been
explained. It is hypothesized that its origin might have been in
the Slavic or Turkish "torba", meaning "bag" or "turban".

Theorboes were developed during the late
sixteenth century, inspired by the demand for extended bass range
for use in opera developed by the Florentine
Camerata and new musical works based on basso
continuo, such as Giulio
Caccini's two collections, Le Nuove
Musiche (1602 and 1614). Musicians adapted bass lutes (c.80+ cm
string length) with a neck extension to accommodate open (i. e.
unfretted) bass strings, called diapasons or bourdons. The
instrument was called both chitarrone and tiorba. It is important
to note that, although theorbo and chitarrone are virtually
identical, they have different etymological origins, chitarrone
being a descendant of chitarra
italiana (hence its name).

Similar adaptations to smaller lutes (c.55+ cm
string length) produced the liuto
attiorbato and the archlute, also similar-looking
but differently tuned instruments.

The tuning of large theorboes is generally
characterized by the octave
displacement, or re-entrant tuning, of the uppermost of the two
(sometimes one) uppermost strings,
thus limiting the upper range of the instrument. The courses,
unlike those of a Renaissance lute or archlute, were often single,
though double-stringing was used too. Typically, theorboes have 14
courses,
though a very few pieces from the Early
Baroque period require a 19-course
theorbo.

Theorbo tuning

This is theorbo tuning in A. Modern theorbo
players usually play 14-course instruments, though (lowest course
is G). A number of theorbo players will use an alternative tuning in G, a whole step lower,
to facilitate playing in flatkeys,
which are unwieldy on instruments tuned in A, better suited for
sharpkeys.

While usually players will have the top two
courses
down an octave in
reëntrant tuning, this does create problems for voice
leading and the playing of harmonies above the bass when
accompanying and playing Basso
Continuo. A solution is to have only the top course
down an octave (English theorbo).

The diagram above shows the typical diatonic tuning of the bass
strings, and these may be retuned to whichever key the player is
working in. They not only come in extremely useful at cadences (for
many lovers of Baroque
Music, the thump of low plucked strings is a most satisfying
sound), but provide sympathetic
resonance even when not played, enriching the general sound of
the instrument.